The PCC has received a complaint from Katie Price and Peter Andre over a sticker it gave away with this week’s magazine. Even by Heat’s editorial standards the sticker was a disgrace and featured her son Harvey’s face with the caption “Harvey wants to eat me!” (Harvey is her son from a relationship with footballer Dwight Yorke and suffers from a rare medical condition which includes growth hormone deficiency).
Quite what possessed Heat editor Mark Frith to print and issue the sticker - one of 50 given away with the magazine - remains unknown but to the extent its tasteless it also falls foul of clauses 6 and 12 of the PCC Code of Practice which provide that children of celebrities shouldn’t be photographed or featured just because of who they are and also that the press must avoid prejudicial or pejorative reference to – among other things – any physical or mental illness or disability.
The PCC confirmed that they had received several complaints from the public as well as representatives of Katie Price. It is likely and to be hoped that the PCC will uphold the complaint and get Heat to donate some money to a charity that helps children with disabilities to compensate for their tasteless attempt at humour.
Heat have now published an apology on their website:
Harvey – Sorry
but that doesn't explain or compensate their stupidity for publishing it in the first place.
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